The present invention broadly relates to a device for metering weft yarn for insertion in a fluid weaving loom and, more specifically, pertains to a new and improved construction of a weft yarn metering device for a fluid loom.
During the recent development of fluid looms, the achievement of high operating speeds has always been a major goal. One limiting factor encountered in the quest for high operating speeds is the speed at which weft yarn is metered and dispensed for each pick of the loom.
It is known to provide weft yarn metering devices having a spool around which yarn is wrapped, the spool being arranged so that its axis is substantially axially aligned with the direction of weft insertion. Examples of this type of weft metering device are described in published European Patent Application No. 0 080 692 and in applicant's European Patent Application No. 82,902,075.9.
As will be appreciated from the aforementioned European Patent Application No. 0 080 692, when weft yarn is pulled off the spool the yarn tends to balloon in front of the spool and this ballooning effect tends to create a drag on the yarn thereby reducing the speed at which it can be inserted across the warp shed by the weft insertion nozzle. This drag on the yarn is in addition to that required for pulling the yarn off the spool.